FIX A HEART
by Ella EH EH EHx3
Summary: She didn't know how to love or be loved right. But the moment Troy Bolton stepped into the doors of her father's self owned hardware store, her whole world changed.
1. YOU'RE NOT SORRY

September 28, 2011.

"Gabriella, I'm sorry," His voice was above a whisper. He took a step closer to the figure in front of him, his soft hand reaching out to touch her. She quickly pulled back, avoiding the contact. Her cold fingers needing his warmth, though she denied it purposefully.

"Don't say that," She hissed at him, in a harsh voice as she turned her back to the tall boy. Her dark brown hair falling over her shoulders, she crossed her arms. The boy remained quiet, and very confused. Night surrounded them as they stood outside the boy's home.

"Why?" He questioned stepping toward the brunette, the smell of his cologne and the night air filling her nose. She took a deep breath and turned around to face him. Letting out the breath, she saw it lingering in the night air. This was going to be hard for her to do. She knew that, but this time, it was going to be different. She wasn't going to forgive him. It took her a moment to gather her composure. She closed her dark eyes for a moment, opening them back up to find the green eyes staring into hers.

"Because we both know you're not," She paused for a moment, her eyes locking with his. Her voice had become much softer, delicate. "We both know you really don't love me. You probably never did. I gave you my everything. You were my everything. If you think we'll be fine again, you're wrong. I was a fool to believe you before and I can't even believe it took me this long to realize. I should have known. I took you back, every single time. I could have married you. You meant that much to me. I deserve better than this. But you don't have to worry about me anymore. I'm no longer a part of your life. I'm done, Kevin. Goodbye."

And she turned around, with her head held high. Her tiny body made its way down the abandoned street the two lived on. The moon shined above her as she took her tiny steps towards the house she grew up in. She didn't turn around to see the figure of Kevin still standing where she had left him with a dumbfound look on his face. Inside, she was dying. Her heart had been broken. Her everything had been taken right out from under her. It hurt now, but she knew it was for the best. She didn't want to be heartbroken anymore. She didn't want to be second best anymore. It was time for her to live her life for her, for love.


	2. YOU DESERVE THE BEST, YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL

October 18, 2011.

4:12 pm.

Kevin's figure towered over the counter at the local hardware store as he waited. He wanted to give her time, and space but he couldn't. He needed to hear her say that she forgave him. He needed to hear that she wanted to be with him again. He needed to feel her soft gentle touch of her lips on his again. He missed the way she would whisper softy into his ear that she loved him when they parted from a kiss. She missed the way her soft hair smelled like fresh cotton and a slight mix of perfume.

Gabriella Montez had seen the gorgeous boy make his way into her family owned business. She had avoided him at all costs in the past three weeks. Kevin had gone crazy, missing every thing about the small Latino. He called her fifty-seven times. She ignored it every single phone call that had appeared on Gabriella's caller ID as "Kevin." He left forty voicemails that she left unlistened to. Kevin managed to send eighty-three text messages. She deleted them as soon as they arrived in her inbox. He even tried to contact her threw a Facebook wall post. This time, she didn't give in to his ways. The way he'd show her his pearly whites, and emerald green eyes. It worked every single time before. But this time she had to remain strong.

At school, she hadn't made eye contact with him. She avoided the stares his bright green sent her daily in the hallways. The way he looked perfect in his baseball letterman jacket. The way his light hair laid perfectly on his hair. She felt her heart begin to ache as she saw him talking to another girl, Rachel. Although, she ignored the urge to walk over to him. She was too busy gaining the strength she needed to fix herself.

Kevin wanted to speak to her, he needed it. He had no other choice but to basically trap her into talking to him. He arrived at her father's hardware store an hour before baseball conditioning.

The bell that they kept at the front counter had been rung, indicating someone needed service. She took another look at the boy who stood at the front of the store. She noticed that he was wearing her favorite color on him, green. It matched his eyes that she loved so much. The colored shirt sat perfectly under his winter jacket. She soon found herself gazing at the boy, noting to herself how handsome he was. Quickly she snapped out of it, Gabriella mentally punched herself in the face.

Slowly, she made her way from the back of the small store to the front to greet Kevin. She watched as the boy had his back turned to her, looking at the hardware magazine that was placed on the rack in the front. She cleared her throat, making her appearance relevant. Kevin swiftly turned to see the brunette with her arms folded across her chest, a look of disgust on her face. She spoke first, "Can I help you with something?" She questioned, pushing herself forward, but slowly. She felt that if she moved to quickly her body would be pulled like a magnet towards Kevin's muscular body. She watched as he reached his hand up to scratch the back of his neck, a habit he had when he was nervous. Silence filled the air, as the two stared at each other. After a moment, he spoke. His soft, desperate emerald eyes bore into her rigid chocolate eyes. This is the first time they had made eye contact in three weeks. She didn't understand how her already weak knees didn't collapse right beneath her.

"Can we talk," His voice was clam, but she could tell he was pleading with her, desperation in his tone. He had taken a step towards Gabriella, reaching out his hand to her. She shook her head, indicating that she had rejected his request.

"Kevin, go home." She stated firmly, turning to organize the rack of magazines by the counter. She had noticed the muscular body of the baseball player tense up. The muscles in his arm contracted, as he took another step closer to the brunette who stood on the other side of the check out counter.

"Please Gabriella, just talk to me." His desperate tone now more evident than before, Gabriella refused to look at the tall boy as she now just fiddled with the books about hardware. She knew if she even took one look at him, she wouldn't be strong anymore. She would fall under his spell. His soft, green eyes would bore right into her soul, captivating her.

"We talked before, and I'm pretty sure I made it clear we're done. What else is there to talk about Kevin? I made it easy for you. You want to be with Rachel, go ahead. I'm not stopping you," She turned to face him, getting a good look his face. He had bags under his striking eyes. His light hair was messy, and he hadn't shaved. The impact of her words hit him hard.

"I don't want her. I want you." He stated firmly, a bit of anger showing threw his voice. Gabriella nodded; taking in his words, she then shook her head. Her loose brunette hair falling over her shoulders, as she moved to replace the roll of paper in the cash register.

"I don't believe anything you say anymore, Kevin. I wasted too much time. I gave you too many chances for you to tell me the truth." A small tear fell from her right eye. Her harsh words cut him deep. Of course he was hurt by her words, but she was the one suffering the most. He had done this to her so many times.

"I'm not lying to you. I want you." His voice soft, as it was the other night when things between the two had ended. "You're all I've ever wanted. I need you. I love you Gabriella Montez," Gabriella had stopped what she was doing to look at Kevin.

"You don't need me, you never did nor will you ever need me. You don't love me; you love the idea of me. You only want me when it's convenient for you. And I used to wake up every day hoping that you want to be with me. That maybe you still care about me. I let you love me like this, because it's better than nothing. But I know very well, that I deserve better than this, Kevin. And when I think you've changed. When I think that this time it'll be different. You go and prove me wrong. You've run out of second chances. I'm not going to wake up anymore hoping you still love me, and want to be with me. It's not right for you to love me when you can. Maybe someday you'll realize how much I truly cared, and loved you. And when that day comes, I'll have moved on, to someone who never let this hurt control me. I'll have someone who wakes up everyday loving me, and all of me, and someone who wants nothing else than to have me forever. I know you're not him, Kevin." Tears were now spilling from the eyes of the petite brunette. Silence filled the air as Gabriella's rant had come to an end. Neither had expected that to come from her.

Kevin took a step towards the crying girl. He reached for her cheek. She shook her head, pushing his hand away. She looked at his pleading eyes. She was filled with so much anger towards the boy, but immediately softened when she looked into his eyes. His once bright green eyes, now dark with sadness. "Please Gabriella." His voice cracked as he reached for her beautiful face. She didn't deny him this time, letting his hand rest on her smooth cheek. Whipping away the falling tears, his soft voice speaking again, "You know when the first tear falls from right eye it means happiness," She looked up at him. "And when it falls from the left, it means pain." He paused, letting his soft lips fall on her forehead. "You deserve to be happy," He stated against her forehead. Something he did, that she loved. She nodded, wrapping her tiny arms around his massive figure. "I'm sorry Gabriella, I really am."

She let his massive arms envelop her as she cried into his chest. She was trying to process how she wound up in his arms once more. The smell of his cologne filling her tiny nostrils. Kevin had been her first love, and she needed to get away from him, to feel again. Taste the kiss of someone knew. Kevin knew he held such a high rank in her heart. And he would use that to his advantage. He took advantage of the one who loved him more than words could explain. She broke every single time he did this. She was afraid that if she didn't take the baseball player back into her arms every time he had come crawling, she'd never feel love like they had again. She was wrong.

"Please stop that," She managed to squeak out. A sniffle following as she pulled apart from their warm embrace. Her chocolate brown stared into the green orbs. A state of confusion passing over his face. "Stop telling me that you're sorry. Stop it. It'll only make things worse, for both of us. Don't you see that?" Her tone had gone from quiet to more harsh within seconds. "I should be the one saying sorry here. You know why?" She paused, anger rising in her tiny body. Her dark eyes filling with rage. "I'm sorry for letting this go on this long. I should've stopped this when it happened the first time. The first time you left me for someone else. I was alone, by myself. But when you wanted me, I was there for you. I cradled you in my arms as you said you were sorry for hurting me. And all I said was that it was okay. And it wasn't. It never will be, Kevin. Don't you see that?" Kevin remained speechless as Gabriella turned her back o him, walking towards the counter where she resumed filling the cash register with a roll of paper, she spoke again. Her voice was softer, more delicate then moments again. "I was just to blinded by the fact that I loved you more than I loved myself. I'll love you forever, Kevin."

He was taken back by the last sentence she let leave her lips. "You will?" He questioned, stepping forward again to be closer to the beautiful Latino that stood in front of him. He thought she was still beautiful. Her brown hair was pulled neatly into a ponytail at the back of her head. He scanned her wrists. The bracelet he had gotten her for their six month anniversary still attached to her wrist. His eyes traveled over the small brunette's body. Just as Gabriella did, Kevin looked at her. Examining her closely. He then allowed his emerald green eyes to attach onto her avoiding chocolate ones.

"Yes, that's the problem." She said in a quick breath, her eyes avoiding the green beams that were desperate for her brown ones. With those four words Kevin then felt the pang in his chest that Gabriella had been feeling for over a year now. He felt the desperation she had. The need to love someone who had given up.

Kevin went to speak those two words that she had forbid him from saying. But he refrained and reached across the small counter. He was surprised when she allowed him to rest his hand on her cheek. He repeated a phrase he had earlier, "You deserve to be happy," And with the he leaned over and left a small kiss on her forehead. Gabriella closed her eyes tightly as if she were a little child at a birthday party making a wish as the candles on her cake had been blown out.

Their candle had been blown out.


	3. WHO'S THAT BOY?

October 29, 2011.

10:04am.

Twenty-one year old Troy Bolton didn't exactly know what he should wear to a job interview. He spent an hour on the phone with Lucille Bolton, his mother. He was going crazy as he stressed over what he should wear and how to match his shirt with his tie and pants perfectly. Lucille stated that he should look professional, but not like he was running the place. He tried to achieve just that.

After trying on three different ties, a red shirt and a black shirt and two pairs of freshly pressed dress pants, he had come to the conclusion that he wanted to give up and just go back to bed.

His oceanic blue eyes stared back at him nervously as he fixed his the solid yellow tie in the mirror of his studio apartment. The image that reflected back at him was a bit smudged since he hadn't remembered the last time he had cleaned his mirror.

Troy Bolton was confident, he believed in himself, but today he was as nervous as he had ever been before. In high school, he had been the basketball star. He brought his team to two championship games in two consecutive years. He didn't have to be nervous about winning those games because he knew exactly what he was doing as he would play the orange ball up and down the court. But fear was invoked in him as he would be put on the spot to answer questions about himself and how well he worked with others.

As his hands finished making adjustments to the third tie he had tried on in the past twenty minutes, he smiled at himself in the mirror. His perfect white teeth smiling back at him. His confidence was back and radiating. He flipped his shaggy brown hair to the right. It landed perfectly just over his eyes. His bright blue orbs glanced at the clock noting that it was already time for him to leave. Troy cursed to himself, he was going to be late for a job he didn't even have yet.

He rushed to put on his shinny dress shoes. His size eleven feet still fit perfectly into the pair of shoes he had had since his grandfather passed away when he was a junior at East High. The black shoes perfected his whole outfit.

He glanced at the clock that sat on the stand next to his unmade bed. The red numbers read 10:11am. Troy cursed again, picking up his relaxed pace as he rushed to put on his over gray coat. One more time looking into the smudged mirror. He was content with how he looked. He flashed himself his smile one more time, his confidence rising again.

The island in the kitchen of his apartment had been holding his car keys. The basketball player reached for them, grabbing them with his right hand, putting them into his pocket safely. He was ready to impress someone today.

* * *

><p>October 29, 2011.<p>

10:04am

Gabriella had a French vanilla coffee from Starbucks tucked safely in her right hand as she struggled to open the door to her father's hardware store. She wasn't exactly happy about having to open the shop all by herself today. She was tried, and it was Saturday. This was her sleep till noon and do nothing but watch reruns of favorite sitcom Friends on Netflix day of the weekend. She wanted to rightly live up to that. But no, Carlos wanted her to open the hardware store. She would begin to work around the store before her father would come in the finish what needed to be done on that fateful Saturday morning.

She was dressed in a red shirt that had the logo of the store across the front. She designed the shirts herself. Paired with her red shirt was a pair of fray and ripped jeans, they were neatly tucked into her ankle gray boots that she adored more than anything else in the whole world. Her brown hair laid perfectly curled as it reached the middle of her back. She snuggled up in an oversized gray cardigan that hid the beautiful curves of her Latino body.

As her tiny hands pushed open the door to the hardware store, she immediately punched in the four digit code for the security system. She put down her delicious coffee and began to do her manual routine she had when he opened up the store. The plain white blinds were opened and the sign that had been flipped on the front door of the store was now displayed as open instead of closed.

For a moment, she smiled to herself. She was alone and it was relaxing. Her manicured hand reached for her coffee, it was still hot as she took a small sip from it. Enjoying the delicious taste it left in her mouth. She began to think of when she would open the hardware store in the mornings and Kevin would sneak in to see her, knowing Carlos didn't want Gabriella to be distracted at work. He would bring her thier favorite breakfast and coffee. He would sit next to her, devoting all his attention to trying to distract her. His soft lips would place butterfly kisses on her neck as she would count the inventory of the store. She would always let out her famous giggle as his lips would tickle her sensitive neck.

Gabriella and Kevin had regained their friendship. And she wanted to kick herself in the head for that, continuously. She didn't understand how she could let him back into her life just like that. But he was her best friend since she had been only ten years old. Now she was seven years older and she still hadn't gotten rid of him. She couldn't just shut him out of her life completely. But her suspicions were right, he started talking to Rachel the day after their encounter at the family owned business. She was upset, yes. But she didn't let that bring her down. She told herself everyday, the last words that Kevin said to her before he left that day. "You deserve to be happy."

Gabriella was born and raised in a small town outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. When Gabriella moved to the state of New Mexico when she was just nine years old. After the death of her mother, she and her father moved to be closer to her mother's parents. Her grandparents. She recalled the day she had met Kevin Jordan. She didn't know what she got herself into on that day.

The sun beat down on the hot pavement. It was the middle of July. Every kid's dream, summer. There were plenty of kids playing in their yards and swimming pools, but a ten year old Gabriella rode her brand new birthday present up and down the street of her neighborhood. The black and blue boy bike had matched Gabriella perfectly at the time. She was tom boy. She had scraps on her knees and dirt under her tiny finger nails. Her oversized glasses would fall down her tiny nose all the time. The little girls in her neighborhood didn't find her to be very girly, which is why she wasn't invite her to come to their tea parties or sleepovers. And frankly, Gabriella probably wouldn't have gone.

The small brunette peddled the bike up and down her road. She was surprised when she heard someone call her name. The ten year old pushed up her oversized glassed up so she could see who had been calling her name. It was Ryan Martins. The neighborhood bully. He never bothered her before but somehow she felt a pang in the pit of her stomach as she turned to make eye contact with the bully. He had bright red hair and he was obese for his age group. Gabriella had noticed that he was standing on the sidewalk a few feet away from her, his hands placed on his hips.

"That's a nice bike you have there," The twelve year old said as he stepped down off the curb and started to walk toward the small brunette. The feeling in her stomach growing. She knew something was about to happen and she didn't like it.

"I should get home…" She said not looking the red headed kid in the eyes, trying to make her way past him, pulling her shinny new birthday present next to her. He put his hand up, stopping young Gabriella.

"I don't see that happening, Montez." He stated firmly, pushing the ten year old to the ground, taking the bike right from her hands. She fell the ground, the hot cement catching her fall. She went to stand back up as soon her brand new bike had left her hands. Hearing a voice call from a far, she turned to see an eleven year old standing in the distance. Both the brunette and over powerful bully look to see a boy Gabriella had seen in the neighborhood before. She still didn't know who he was though. She'd only been there for about a month or two. She had just turned ten four days before, and she hadn't got to try out her new bike yet.

"Martins!" Called the unknown person, as he was taking steps toward Gabriella and the bully. As he approached the two, the first thing she noticed about him was his green eyes were enraged. "Leave the new girl alone," He said as he pushed the bully off of the brand new bike Gabriella had received for her birthday, only days before.

"What are you going to do about it, Jordan, huh?" The bully laughed at him pushing the eleven year old back. Gabriella watched the scene unfold. "Is Montez your little girlfriend now?" The obese boy continued to push the green eyed boy.

"She's not my girlfriend," He said in a rage, the green eyed mysterious boy swung his right fist to make contact with the bullies jaw. Instantly, Ryan gripped his jaw and ran away from the green eyed boy and the small ten year old Gabriella.

"I'm Kevin." The green eyed boy said as he reached down to give Gabriella giving her his hand. She took his hand in her own. He helped her back onto her tiny feet.

Meekly, Gabriella replied to the tall, strong boy whose hand she now held. "I'm Gabriella."

"I'm sorry about Ryan Martins, he's a bully. But don't worry. He won't pick on you anymore." Kevin said confidently to the still overwhelmed Latino as she got back onto her feet. She brushed herself off, as she felt the stare of the boy bore holes through her. She picked up her brand new bike. The boy with the green eyes just flashed a smile at her. As he opened his mouth to say something to her, she grabbed the broadening shoulders of the eleven year old and kissed him on the cheek quickly. Both of their cheeks had become as red as a rose. They made eye contact for only a moment, both of them were very shy.

Gabriella whispered to the boy before she swiftly got back on her birthday bike, heading in the opposite direction, "Thank you, Kevin. But I could've handled him."

A small smirk graced the lips of the eleven year old, green eyed boy. He liked her.

The hero who had saved Gabriella Montez from the bully that day would later become her first everything. Kevin would teach her things about herself she thought she could never learn. He also taught her about building walls around herself. He was the first person to break Gabriella.

The seventeen year old snapped out of the flashback she was having in her head. The trance the small Latino was broken. She pushed the feelings that came rushing back into her body right back out. She didn't want this feeling. The feeling of loving that guy who had screwed her over so many times for someone who didn't know him like she did.

The small Latino made her way back to where her father's office was, she had to take inventory of the store before she did anything else. She didn't want to, but she knew she had to.

* * *

><p>10:23am.<p>

Troy knew he had to be early for this job interview.

He'd spent most of his morning stressing and running all over his apartment as he searched for the things he needed to present at this job. He wasn't quite sure what he should do in order to impress the people who owned his town's most productive self owned business. His father had gotten him the interview weeks before hand because he knew the owner of the small business. His father had said that the owner needed more employers.

His truck came to a halting stop as it sent Troy forward in the seat. His blue eyes glanced up at the sign, it read in giant red and black letters "C&G's Hardware." Troy closed his gorgeous eyes and set back in the seat of his truck. He silently prayed to himself that everything would go alright. He prayed that the interview would go amazing. And the owner, Carlos, would hire him.

As he got out of his old beat up truck, he closed the door loudly. This even scared Troy. He jumped a little, and his heart began to beat faster in his built chest. He didn't understand why he was so nervous. It's only a job interview, he kept saying to help himself build up enough confidence to walk up the steps of the hardware store.

His smooth large hand pushed open the door of the hardware store, a bell going off as he entered. He quickly checked his watch. 10:27am. He was almost fifteen minutes early for the interview. Troy smiled to himself a little because he at least got that right.

* * *

><p>10:27am<p>

As Gabriella sulked in her father's office, she began took out the important book keeping of her father's business place. Just as she sat down on the giant leather chair, she heard the door open a bell indicating the front entrance of the store had been opened, she became very confused. Slowly, she got up from the oversized wooden desk her dad had kept in his office, she began to make her way to the front where the bell had come from.

She expected to see her father, Carlos standing there in his usual work uniform but she didn't see the most important man of her life standing in the center of the store. Instead she saw a tall, tan, blue eyed guy dressed in a nice tie and dress pants. He was holding a folder in his left hand. Immediately, they both became very confused, expecting to see the middle aged Latino man, Carlos Montez.

Their eyes met almost instantly as they recovered from the confusion. A sensation being sent through both of them as their gaze intensified. The blue orbs of Troy had bore into Gabriella's chocolate eyes. They both stared at each other for a moment before either of them spoke.

Gabriella was standing behind the counter that sat near the entrance. Troy on the other side, closer to the door. He had barley just made it in before he heard the small footsteps of the Latino approach him.

Troy's began to scan what he could see of Gabriella's fit body, her curves being hidden under the gray oversized cardigan that she wore on the fall day. Her dark brown hair fell perfectly over her shoulders. Each ringlet curl a beauty of it's own. Her bangs lay perfectly on her forehead. He thought she was beautiful.

Gabriella had been doing the same thing as Troy was. Her mocha eyes first attaching to the blue eyes that were now focused on something else. His hair was swept perfectly to the side. Each hair being perfect in it's own sense. Her eyes then began to travel down his fit body. He was built beautifully, she commented in her head. His arms were sculpted in the dress shirt that was buttoned up his chest. The yellow tie Troy had worn for this day lay perfectly on his toned chest. She felt herself become weak in the knees as the two made eye contact once again. This time, there was words mixed between the two. Troy spoke, softly.

"Hi, I'm looking for Carlos Montez?" He questioned his voice cracking slightly as he, stepped forward toward the brunette who still stood like a statute behind the counter. As he got closer to the beautiful figure before him he took in her invigorating scent. It was a mix of fresh cotton and perfume. He hated when girls were drenched in perfume.

Gabriella broke out of her trance of looking at the model like boy in front of her. She realized that he had spoke about her father. She nodded her flowing curls moving as she , confirmed that the attractive stranger was in the right place. "That's my dad. He should be coming in soon." She said with confidence as she found an excuse to make eye contact with the blue eyed beauty in front of her. She spoke again, beginning to feel more comfortable. "Do you need him for something?" She questioned slightly, the scent of the shaggy brown haired boy entering her nose. She signed to herself almost as if the small brunette was in heaven. She moved her hand to her dark curly hair, pushing the bangs back past her eyes.

Troy found the girl he didn't even know the name of to be completely adorable as she played with her hair. He nodded, his hair falling slightly over his gorgeous eyes. "I have a job interview with him today," He said in a hesitate voice, before he reached up to scratch the back of his neck. It was a nervous habit he had picked up from his father, Jack

All Gabriella could do without throwing herself over the counter and thrusting her tiny body into the arms of the attractive stranger, she nodded. Although, she didn't recall her dad saying anything to her about a job interview with an attractive male today, she went along with it. "He usually comes in at about a quarter to eleven."

Troy nodded, as he licked his bottom lip. He wanted to take the small Latino in his arms and just hold her at this moment in time. "Thank you," He said flashing his white teeth at her. Gabriella basically melted at this. She had never seen such perfect teeth before. Again, the blue eyed stranger spoke to her, "I'm Troy Bolton, by the way," He stated, his smooth hand reaching out to shake the small Latino's hand.

Troy Bolton, Gabriella thought. Bolton. She knew someone by that name before. But she of course ignored it, and took Troy's hand in her own. A spark instantly was sent through both of them. They didn't exactly know what was going on. But they both equally enjoyed it. "Gabriella Montez," She said quietly as she was still taken back by the spark she felt between her and Troy. Something she never felt before. It was like what you would see in movies, the gallant knight offering himself to the damsel. "It's nice to meet you," She finished saying very softly into the thick air.

"You as well, Ms. Montez," Troy said with such charm. Their eyes locked in a gaze. Blue bore into brown. They both secretly agreed that they could never get tired of what was happening between the two strangers at that exact moment. They just stood there, staring into each other's eyes. Never once breaking, until they heard a noise coming from the back of the hardware store.

Carlos Montez had entered the small building. Gabriella was the first to let go of their small embrace, as she turned to walk to the back of the small office her dad had kept. "Daddy, someone's here to see you," She said in such an innocent voice that made Troy grow with happiness. The voice that graced his ear drums was so sweet sounding.

Carlos made his way to the front of the store where Troy stood. Although, his eyes followed the hypnotizing brunette that he had only met moments before. She had disappeared into the small office that she emerged from when she first appeared to him.

"You must be Troy," Carlos said with authority. He was dressed in a black shirt, with the same design Gabriella had plastered across the front of her shirt. His hair was beginning to turn a gray color. He was a big man. His eyes matched the ones of the beautiful female he had just met. His facial features almost matching hers exactly. He was much older then her, the wrinkles in his face very evident. But he looked harmless, and that he was. "Jack's son?" He questioned as he stuck his large hand out to greet the youngest Bolton boy. Troy nodded as her firmly grasped the hand of Carlos.

"That's my dad," Troy said as he nervously laughed. "And me," He added. Carlos let out a small laugh that was so jolly. It reminded Troy of the Santa that he would sit on the lap of around Christmas time at the mall.

"You good with tools and such, son?" He said raising an eyebrow at the attractive Bolton. Troy swallowed nervously as he nodded.

"I am my dad's son," Troy referenced his father again, this sent Carlos into another chuckle. The large Latino man nodded, sending a smile at Troy. The smile matched that of Gabriella's.

"Well, this really isn't much of an interview now is it?" Carlos laughed at his own joke. Troy joined him. Nervously, he reached up to fix the yellow tie that was around his neck. Carlos continued to speak, "But how about you start on Monday? My daughter, Gabriella, who I guess you already met, will be here to work with you."

Troy's beautiful face lit up so fast when Carlos had given such a great opportunity. The blue eyed boy stuck his hand out again, to shake the hand of the gorgeous Latino girl's father. "Thank you so much, Mr. Montez," Troy said gratefully.

"Call me Carlos," He said with a hardly chuckle as a smile graced the lips of Gabriella's dad.


	4. AND WHO WOULDA THOUGHT?

"Say my name," He demanded.

The sweat that glistened off the two bodies mixed together. The intertwined bodies in the dark room collided together to make one.

The voice that escaped the mouth of the girl that lay beneath the towering figure spoke quietly. "Troy," She gasped trying to gain her breath back as Troy's smooth hand's traveled roughly down the sides of the naked woman that laid under his muscular body.

"Louder," he said again, as he leaned down to kiss the girl forcefully. He grinded his hips into her petite ones. Their hips met as Troy thrusted into her tiny body. The ecstasy that was building between the two reaching its peak.

"Troy!" The beauty that laid beneath him yelled into the thick air, as she reached her climax. Her manicured finger nails dug into his well-built back as they both released into each other. Troy placed small kisses on the neck of the small women that lay beneath him, as he pulled himself out from her warmness. He rolled over to lay next to the female. His bright blue eyes looked at her for a moment. Her chest was rising and falling just like Troy's was. She tried to catch her breath from the intense session that was just shared between to the basketball superstar and her. Troy spoke softly, breaking the awkward silence that settled between the two.

"That was nice," he said breathlessly, his hand intertwining with her thick locks of hair.

"It was," she said as she sat up slightly, the blankets falling over the slightly covered body. "But I should get going," The mystery girl moved to sit up, her blonde hair falling over her shoulders down her bare back. "I have to be at work early tomorrow."

Troy's oceanic eyes looked at the clock that sat on the bed stand next his queen sized bed. His vision was a bit blurry, though he could read it. The bright numbers read 12:09. His eyes then looked at the blonde figure again.

She was fully dressed again. Her light washed jeans were pulled over her tiny hips. The shirt that had been discarded carelessly on the floor earlier now on her tiny body again. "Call me tomorrow though, and tell me how your first day at work goes, okay Troy?" She said as she took a step towards the door, her hand placed delicately on the knob that led to the outside of Troy's messy room.

"I will," He said as he rolled his muscular body over away from the door that began to open. He closed his blue eyes again, thinking about the day ahead of him. His first day at work. "Goodnight Shar,"

"Night Bolton," She said quietly as she shut the door.

Sharpay Evans. She'd been the girl that had been under Troy only moments before saying his name into the thick, sweat drenched air. She was Troy's best friend. Or they both liked to believe. But they really were much more than that. Until recently, they never knew what it was like to explore the wonders of each other's bodies. They had both consumed too much alcohol for their own good.

They didn't understand why they hadn't touched each other in such sensual ways before. But when their bodies intertwined that night, the was sweat dripping from them mixed together almost perfectly. Their actions started a whole new trend in their best friend relationship.

They then began to pursue more sexual ventures in each other, both sober and in a drunken state. They weren't sure how it would turn out and personally, they weren't concerned. They needed someone to feel the release of all the surrounding problems drift away as they found themselves in the other's arms.

As he saw the light that his bedroom door let in, the light diminished a little bit more each second, as Troy drifted into a slumber. He could never remember his dreams well. But as he drifted further in to his sleeping state, he stared at a figure.

It was a figure that belonged to a female. Her back was turned away from Troy, and her hair was a dark brown shade. The dark hair hung loosely over her shoulders and down to the middle of her back. She was clad in a red top, with a pair of dark washed jeans that hugged her ever curve. He was confused.

Troy stepped closer to her, reaching his hand out to touch her shoulder. The brunette turned around to meet his face to face. Brown eyes. The most gorgeous brown eyes he'd ever seen. He was captivated by them. They bore into his soul. Troy's smooth hand reached up to touch the face of the brunette that stood in front of him.

As soon as his hand rubbed up against the soft cheek, the beautiful figure disappeared. Vanished out of sight. The beautiful brunette he'd only come in contact with once was there for only a moment, and then she was gone again. No where to be found in his dream land. He didn't understand what his dream meant. But he wasn't complaining.

There was a knock on the bedroom door of the twenty-one year old Troy Bolton at exactly 8:43am the next morning. Soon after it was came an abrupt entering, followed by a loud shout. "Yo Hoops," The figure landed next to basketball player that slept peacefully in the king sized bed. An orange ball placed perfectly in his hands. Troy was awake now.

Chad Danforth. Bushy haired, brown eyed, best friend that Troy had known since they were both able to hold a basketball in their hands. Since Troy moved back to their hometown, Chad had woken Troy up on a daily basis by entering his bedroom. A grin spread on his face.

"Morning Chad," Troy grunted into the pillow that lay under his shaggy brown hair. He turned to his best friend, his hands grabbing for Chad's Nike shirt, lifting it up slightly. His hand was moving slight over the material of the shorts Chad had put on that morning.

"What're you doing?" Chad said instantly, being kind of freaked out by the motion Troy had just exerted. He jumped up off the bed.

Troy shifted in his king sized again, pulling his covers closer to his body as he sat up in his bed, the comforter that his mom had gotten him falling down a bit. His built chest being exposed to the cool morning air. "I was just seeing if you were wearing a belt."

Chad sent him a bewildered look, as he reached up to scratch his bushy hair. "Uh, why?" He asked.

"Oh, I was just going to hang myself with it," Troy said so nonchalantly, as he reached for a piece of clothing that lay on the floor next to Chad's foot. The boxers that Sharpay had discarded from his body the night before now on his lay on his fit body again.

"Dude, are you okay?" Chad asked through a muffled laugh.

"I don't know what I'm gonna do about Shar…It's not the same anymore between us dude. Eve since I moved back, all we do is just, its like," Troy sighed briefly and then looked at his bushy haired friend as he tried to gather the words he needed to explain what had been going on between the blonde and the basketball superstar. "She just shows up, we have sex, and she leaves. That's all. I miss my best friend that I had back in high school," Troy said as he ran his smooth hand through his hair. "I start my new job today. Last night I had a really weird dream about a girl that I only met once. And I have no clean underwear," He sighed.

A laugh erupted from the back of Chad's as he sat down on the chair Troy had placed by his closest door in his room, his bushy hair moving as he did so. "Dude, I can't help you with the underwear thing, but just talk to Sharpay about it, you guys have been friends longer then bed buddies. Just talk to her, man." Chad said as he casually passed the orange ball that was held between his large hands. Troy caught the ball in his hands, instantly. "And about this girl?" Chad raised an eyebrow. He was curious now.

"Do you know Carlos Montez?" Troy simply asked. This caught the bushy haired friends attention. Chad nodded. "Well, have you met his daughter?" This question sent Chad into a moment of shock. He knew exactly who he was talking about now.

"Gabriella?" This surprised Troy, he hadn't expected him to know who she was. Troy simply nodded as Chad went on about the gorgeous girl he had met only days before. "My mom used to baby sit her, remember dude? You used to come over during the summer when she'd come visit her grandparents. She only had to be like, six years old. Shit man." Chad explained how he knew the Latino girl from his past.

Troy began to think, he did know this girl. Gabriella Montez. Her long brown hair that reached the middle of her back and her dark brown eyes that would stare into his soul. He knew her when she was only six years old.

"That's her?" Troy asked as he removed his tone body from his giant bed. His lazy feet made their way over to the wooden dresser. He removed a shirt and a matching pair of basketball shorts from it. Chad nodded, his bushy hair jumping with the motion his head made.

His thoughts returned to the small girl that Mrs. Danforth would baby-sit during the summer breaks. She was small Latino girl that always had a smile on her face. She wasn't like most little girls that were five years old. Instead of Barbie dolls, Gabriella enjoyed Mutant Ninja Turtles. Troy can remember one night he had decided to stay the night at the Danforth's house hold. He crept downstairs to sneak something back into Chad's room to eat, which in the Danforth house was against the rules.

Troy was nine at the time and he thought that he was some kind of bad ass. So he secretly made his way into the kitchen, but as he stepped into the doorway, he saw the kitchen light already on. He became very confused as he saw a five year old Gabriella Montez sitting on the marble floor, playing with her Ninja Turtle action figures.

Troy couldn't believe that the little girl that he found playing with the boys toys was now the girl he had a dream about. And the girl who he would start to work with later on that day.

"Yeah dude. She's all grown up, huh?" Chad made suggestive eye wiggles in Troy's direction. Troy rolled his eyes at his best friend, a small laugh escaping past his lips. Troy nodded in his friends direction as he threw the orange ball back in his direction.

"Man, she's hot now. Have you seen her?" Troy asked as he slipped the clean clothes over his body.

"Yeah, she baby sits for my mom now on the weekends sometimes. Austin really loves her." Austin was Chad's little brother, who was four years old. Chad's parents had concieved little Austin when Chad and Troy was just finishing their senior year in high school at East High. When Chad had gone off to college Mr. and Mrs. Danforth were very busy with work and such and didn't have time to stay home on the weekends to baby-sit Chad's baby brother. That's when Mrs. Danforth had contacted seventeen year old Gabriella Montez. She automatically agreed. She thought that Austin was such a cute little baby. They paid her decently and Gabriella figured that since she needed the extra money, aside from her job at the hardware store, she could take the baby-sitting job with the Danforth's.

"Well, looks like I'll be coming over more often then on the weekends." Troy said simply has he slipped his feet into a pair of clean white socks and his Nike shoes he had for morning workouts. He would be seeing a lot more of Gabriella then he even expected too.


End file.
